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DIRECTIVE No

DIRECTIVE No. 21/1999/CT-TTg OF JULY 31, 1999 ON STEPPING UP ACTIVITIES TO ACHIEVE THE TARGETS OF ERADICATING POLIO AND INFANT TETANUS AND CHECKING MEASLE BY THE YEAR 2000

Since 1985, the "enlarged vaccination program" has been implemented continuously throughout the country, with the close direction by the People�s Committees at various levels, the close cooperation and active participation by ministries, branches and social organizations, with the timely and effective support from various countries and international organizations as well as the active response from mothers and people throughout the country, the polio and infant tetanus eradication and the measle control has gained great achievements, markedly reducing the rates of children suffering from and dying of such diseases. Up to now, in the whole country not any case of the wild polio virus infection has been recorded; only 7 of the 610 districts and provincial towns have still below the mark of infant tetanus eradication; the rate of measle sufferers in 1998 dropped 11.3 times as compared with 1985. So, our country can achieve the targets pledged before the international community, that is to eradicate polio and infant tetanus and control measle by the year 2000.

However, there still remain some difficulties: Regarding epidemics, polio, infant tetanus and measle have seen complicated developments and the implementation of enlarged vaccination in the mountainous, border, deep-lying and distant localities� has been hit with many limitations while the time-limit for attaining the targets is running out. So, the enlarged vaccination activities in 1999 and 2000 are of special importance.

To achieve the above-mentioned targets and successfully carry out the "Supplementary Vaccination Days" campaign in 1999 in 11 central provinces, 19 southern provinces, 3 central highlands provinces and 13 northern border mountainous provinces, the Prime Minister hereby instructs:

1. The Ministry of Health to plan, direct and organize the implementation of the "Supplementary Vaccination Days" campaign, ensure to supply adequately and in time vaccines, cooling preservation facilities and vaccination instruments; continue to raise the quality and efficiency of the enlarged vaccination in localities, especially in the deep-lying, distant, border and mountainous regions, areas of ethnic minorities, islands and in the regions hard hit by natural calamities�

2. The Ministry of Finance to direct the financial agencies at all levels to ensure the budget already included in the estimate for the enlarged vaccination.

3. The Ministry of Information and Culture to direct the mass media agencies at all levels to organize propaganda in order to make the entire community fully aware of the importance of the eradication of polio and infant tetanus and the control of measle by the year 2000, so that people voluntarily take part in activities for the enlarged vaccination.

4. The concerned ministries and branches to co-ordinate with and support the health service so as to make the "Supplementary Vaccination Days" campaign a big success. Especially, the Ministry of Defence shall direct the army medical corps to co-ordinate its activities in carrying out the enlarged vaccination in deep-lying, distant, border and mountainous regions, islands, ethnic minority regions and regions seriously affected by natural calamities� in order that the enlarged vaccination service can reach every family in every corner of the country.

5. The presidents of the People�s Committees of the provinces and centrally-run cities to direct the provincial/municipal Health Services and concerned agencies in their localities to mobilize all resources for the implementation of the "Supplementary Vaccination Days" campaign in 1999, ensuring that 100% under-five children shall be given two oral doses of polio vaccine and the final injection of measle vaccine, and tetanus vaccine shall be given to pregnant women, women aged from 15 to 35 in key regions, successfully fulfilling the enlarged vaccination norms registered for 1999 and 2000.

6. The Vietnam Fatherland Front, the Vietnam Labor Confederation, Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union, Vietnam Women� Union, Vietnam Peasants� Association, Vietnam War Veterans� Association, The Red Cross Society of Vietnam are requested to encourage their members to actively take part in this campaign.

7. The Ministry of Health to act as coordinator among concerned agencies in organizing the implementation of this Directive.

For the Prime Minister

Deputy Prime Minister
PHAM GIA KHIEM